The Future of Biking is in the Netherlands
Young urban planners love bikes. They will shut down vehicle lanes, reroute busy streets, generally commit any abuse to car traffic that promotes the flow of bicycles–regardless of the size of the current cycling population. In other words, they are planning for a time when cities might be even denser but also more...
That sharp pinching sensation? Might be the sequester
At first glance, the sequester seemed like nothing more than a Great Unpleasantness. Much bickering, many threats and accusations, many teeth gnashed by people who said the across-the-board cuts were irresponsible and idiotic. But there was no obvious sense of urgency, which is why your federal leaders declined to hammer out a deal. A...
Sally Free Ride
Last week’s biggest under-reported story was the U.S. Senate’s confirmation hearing for Sally Jewell, CEO of outdoor retailer REI and President Obama’s nominee to be Secretary of the Interior. It’s easy to see why this story is big: the Department of the Interior holds the deed to 417 million acres—18.4 percent of the land...
Are we being teased about a new CCC?
We were as ecstatic as we get to read that the federal government is going to do something obvious and excellent, which is reconstitute the Civilian Conservation Corps. At a time when we have too many unemployed (and more to come, as the war in Afghanistan winds down), and crumbling national parks, and young...
Does the Forest Service hate the President?
Last week, the U.S. Forest Service trumpeted the news that it would be offering four fee-free days in 2013. This is dandy, but not as dandy as it sounds, for two reasons. First, “fees are not charged on 98 percent of national forests and grasslands, and approximately two-thirds of developed recreation sites in national...
